You are planning a trip to Austria and need to know the best areas where to stay in Vienna Congratulations!
Vienna is a very elegant city , full of art galleries and museums, with a rich historical, artistic and musical heritage , as well as cafes and cake shops that attract a good number of tourists.
It comes as the capital of Austria and important tourist destination has a wide range of accommodation , however it is not characterized by being a cheap destination, although it is not one of the most expensive European capitals.
The price of a good 4 star hotel in the low season can be around 80 euros , and it is more than possible to find rooms for 50 euros a night in decent hotels in areas a little far from the historic center.
In general the Viennese hotels are, almost without exception, very well managed and have an extreme cleanliness (even the most modest boarding house has good quality linen clothes) A great advantage of the city is the huge variety of accommodation types ranging from youth hostels to very luxurious and traditional options like the famous Hotel Sacher .
– Hotels in Vienna
The best places to stay in Vienna
The best place to stay in Vienna is the Innere Stadt or District 1. In addition to this area, the neighboring districts (2-9) are also an excellent choice and still very central and offer accommodation at a better price.
1.Innere Stadt (district 1)
Part of the attraction of the city is its compact downtown area (“Innere Stadt”), which forms the first district and corresponds to the old town .A large part of the tourist attractions are located in this area or in its surroundings, which is also full of shops , and has a large number of restaurants and cafes .
The Old Town (Innere Stadt) is surrounded by Ringstrasse , a wide, horseshoe-shaped boulevard where you will find a number of 19th century palaces, and has several pedestrian streets, including Kärntnerstrasse, which passes by the Opera House, and the nearby Graben, which is on Stephansplatz, home to the famous cathedral.
Competing with the Cathedral and the Opera as the most famous building in the district is the Hofburg , the Habsburg Palace, which includes the National Library, the Spanish Riding School and several museums. Other significant places of interest are the Rathaus (Town Hall), the Parliament, the Natural History Museum and the Art History Museum and the Stadtpark.
In this area, and in the areas bordering the Ringstrasse, you will find a good number of hotels and apartments of all kinds, which are usually more expensive than those in the areas bordering the Ringstrasse.The Innere Stadt is the first area you should look at to book your accommodation in Vienna .
– Hotels in the Innere Stadt
2.Leopoldstadt (district 2)
Once inhabited by Balkan merchants, this area does not physically border the Ringstrasse, but is located at on the eastern side of the Danube canal , a short subway ride (U1) from the inner city, or a walk across one of its bridges.
The Prater Park is located in this area, and is characterized by its extensive green areas. The district is large, but any area near the canal is an excellent choice for sleeping in Vienna. Crossing the canal on foot will take between 5 and 10 minutes to reach the Cathedral .
– Hotels in Leopoldstadt
3.Landstrasse (district 3)
The bucolic Stadtpark extends into this district, where you can see more of Vienna’s imperial charm The streets are dotted with churches, monuments and palaces, such as the great Schwarzenberg Palace and the Konzerthaus.However, its main attraction is the Belvedere Palace of Prince Eugene Savoy, an exquisite example of baroque architecture.
Several embassies are located in a small section of Landstrasse known as the diplomatic quarter of Vienna .The Wien Mitte train station and the city’s air terminal are also here and this is one of the most convenient districts for to stay in Vienna .
– Hotels in Landstrasse
4.Wieden (4th district)
This small district extends south of Opernring and Kärtnering and is as fashionable as the 1st district. Most activity is focused on Karlsplatz, where the St. Charles Borromeo Church is located . The Vienna University of Technology and the Vienna City History Museum are also nearby.
Kärnerstrasse, the main boulevard in the city centre, becomes Wiedner-Hauptstrasse when you enter this district, and the Südbahnhof train station, one of the two main stations, is at its southern end. This district is one of the best options for to stay in Vienna
– Hotels in Wieden
5.Margarethen (5th district)
Located southwest of Wieden, Margarethen does not border the Ringstrasse and is therefore a little further away from the historical center.
This is a slightly less recommended option than Wieden for accommodation in Vienna as it is a little further away from the Innere Stadt and you need to use the underground or take a 20 – 30 minute walk to get to the Cathedral.
– Hotels in Margareth
6.Mariahilf (6th district)
One of the busiest shopping streets in Vienna is Mariahilferstrasse which runs through this bustling district. Naschmark t is an open-air market where fresh fruit, vegetables, bread, cheese and many other things are sold, and where there are quite a few restaurants and a few bars.
On Saturdays, the adjacent Flohmarkt, a market where antiques and all kinds of gadgets are sold, adds to the lively atmosphere of the neighborhood.The surrounding streets are full of restaurants, theatres, cafes and pubs
The lively atmosphere and the fact that it is a district that borders the Ringstrasse make it an excellent choice to stay in Vienna.
– Hotels in Mariahilf
7.Neubau (district 7)
Neubau is located right next to the Museum Quarter Inner Stadt, it is an ideal place to stay in Vienna , because in addition to being centrally located it is easily accessible by public transport. is popular with both locals and visitors.
The picturesque and once neglected Spittelberg is located at the top of a hill, just behind Vienna’s most famous museums.
– Hotels in Neubau
8.Josefstadt (8th district)
The smallest of Vienna’s 23 districts is named after the Habsburg Emperor Joseph II and was once home to Vienna’s officials.Like Neubau, this quiet and friendly neighbourhood is located behind the town hall and the large museums along the Ringstrasse.
Here you will find small parks, charming cafes, some monuments, and churches The oldest and most intimate theater in Vienna, the Josefstadt Theater, has been preserved here since 1788. The shops and restaurants in Josefstadt have a varied clientele, from civil servants to university students
– Hotels in Josefstadt
9.Alsergrund (District 9)
This area is often called the Academic Quarter , not only because of the nearby University of Vienna, but also because of its many hospitals and clinics.
In Alsergrund you can visit the Freud Museum, one of the biggest and brightest palaces in Vienna, which today houses the Federal Museum of Modern Art.
– Hotels in Alsergrund
In addition to this article on the best places to stay in Vienna you may be interested in learning more about other beautiful European cities: Where to stay in Budapest, where to stay in Prague, where to stay in Salzburg
CHEAP ACCOMMODATION IN VIENNA
If your budget is very tight you will also find some options of cheap accommodation in Vienna .The cheapest options are beds in shared rooms from hostels from 12 euros and some cheap guesthouses from 35 euros .
Generally such low prices are only available in the low season or by booking well in advance. You can check options for cheap accommodation in Vienna on this specialized page.
– cheap accommodation in Vienna
Best place to stay in Vienna
Innere Stadt, the 1st district, is considered the center of Vienna Most of the main attractions in Vienna are in the center or about 10 minutes walk awaySo the best area to stay in Vienna is this central district where you can walk through the maze of narrow pedestrian streets and the rest of the city can be easily reached by public transport or, if you wish, by bicycle.Vienna is an ideal place to ride your bicycle on a good day, thanks to its 700 kilometers of bicycle lanes, and the integrated public transportation system, which allows you to get to important attractions such as Schoenbrunn Palace from the center of the city.
The Innere Stadt is a magical and eternal place where the city’s past emerges between narrow streets and cobblestone streets: St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the most emblematic and beloved building in Vienna, and the imperial Hofburg Palace, the most outstanding symbol of Austrian cultural heritage.
If you are interested in knowing where to stay in Vienna you may also be interested in knowing where to stay in Salzburg, where to stay in Prague or where to stay in Budapest.
The center of Vienna, the best area to stay
The city of Vienna is made up of 23 old suburbs and outlying districts, however, from the 1st to the 9th and the 20th are the inner ones, but it is the 1st, the Center, where you can find the main attractions of the city, such as St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the most important Gothic building in the country and a symbol of Vienna.Vienna is a city that combines the old with the new, the modern with the imperial and what better than to discover all these contrasts starting with the center, the 1st district.Here we can find the Hofburg, which was the royal house of the Habsburg Empire.
There is also the imperial crypt located under the Capuchin Church and is intended for members of the former Austrian Habsburg dynasty.on the west side of the Imperial Palace, is the St. Augustine parish church, where many royal connections took place, such as that of Emperor Francis Joseph I and Sisi.
The range of museums on offer will not disappoint the most demanding visitors. They are diverse and of high quality, so it is not surprising that the city has its own museum quarter: the MuseumsQuartier (MQ).It is a space of 60 thousand square meters that currently hosts the Leopold Museum, the mumok-Museum of Modern Art/Ludwig Wien Foundation, the Kunsthalle and the Hallen E and G festival pavilions, the Vienna Architecture Center, the Zoom Children’s Museum, the Designforum, the Children’s Theater and other spaces for cultural activities.
Also in the centre are the Parliament, the Albertina Museum, the Vienna Museum of Art History, the Music Museum, the Vienna State Opera and the Spanish Riding School.
In terms of restaurants and shopping the centre has it all.Here you can find everything from the cheapest fast food options in the famous international chains like McDonalds, or on the banks of the Danube you can find a good offer of carts selling hotdogs, sushi, pizza or hamburgers, all for a very good price.But if you are looking for a luxury meal, there is a great offer of elegant restaurants also in the centre.
For shopping the city centre is a paradise, you can find all kinds of shops, from souvenir shops where the central figure will always be Mozart, to the most luxurious shops, to the most fashionable ones, such as Forever21, Zara, Bershka and H&M.
As you walk around the centre, whether you are shopping or just strolling around, you will find many attractions without having to look for them, because the centre is a museum in itself.Its perfectly maintained streets and luxurious buildings are adorned with beautiful monuments.
Other areas to stay in Vienna
Leopoldstadt
If you do not want to be in the center, another good area to stay is in Leopoldstadt, an area adjacent to District 1, which can even be reached on foot, and where we find many advantages.For example, this area has an average price of hotels that are more accessible than the center, it also has much quieter streets, but still has interesting tourist attractions.
Like the rest of the city, this district is very well connected, but there is also the Wien Praterstern station, one of the main stations in the city.
Wieden
It is not only part of the historical and cultural centre of the city, but also a hub of public transport, with the St. Charles Borromeo Church (Karlskirche), the Naschmarkt and the Vienna City Museum.It can be reached by underground, train or bus and is a good choice for accommodation because of its central location.
Hietzing
If you are looking for the royal part of Vienna what better than to stay close to Schoenbrunn Palace, the former summer residence of the emperor’s family, which now has many attractions for visitors.In addition to one of the most impressive Baroque buildings in Europe, you can also find here the Carriage Museum, the Puppet Theatre and the oldest zoo in the world.But what nobody can resist is a walk through the majestic Palace Park, with its perfect flowers and its imposing Glorieta, located at the top and from where you have a magnificent view of the entire Palace, and the city of Vienna.
Neubau
The student quarter of the city, right next to the MuseumsQuartier, has an intense cultural life, with small romantic streets, with Biedermeier style houses, and many craft markets.
Margareten
This residential area, in the 3rd district, is a good choice for accommodation, especially during the summer which turns into a very lively neighbourhood.Here you can find Belvedere Castle, the Austrian Art Gallery and the famous Hundertwasser House, a residential complex structured by the artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser and planned by the architect Joseph Krawina, combining flats and undulating facades, irregular openings, great colour and vegetation, and with the underground lines U4-U1-U3 you can reach the centre.
Meidling
This is a residential and working area, but one of the great advantages of staying at Meidling is that you will be a few minutes walk from the Wien Meidling train station, where most trains from other cities such as Prague, Berlin or Budapest arrive and depart.
